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They said:

“We blog because we care!”

There was a need of an alternative voice in Ethiopia. The Zone 9 Bloggers decided to blog and use social media to spread awareness about human rights violations. They chose to call them self “Zone 9”, a word referring to the zones of the notorious Kality prison, where political prisoners and journalists are being held. The prison has eight zones, but the ninth “zone” refers to the rest of Ethiopia. Even if being outside of the prison walls – you are never truly free. The bloggers wanted to be the voice of this ninth zone.

The group had campaigns about respecting the constitution, stopping censorship and respecting the right to demonstrate. Despite the fact that what the group did was constitutional, the government labeled it a crime. Six of the bloggers, together with three journalists, were arrested in April 2014. The bloggers and journalists faces terrorism charges and are now in the prisons of Kality and Kilinto.

This blog contains the most current information about advocacy efforts, press coverage, and the legal status of the Zone9 bloggers in Ethiopia. It is dedicated to report on the trials of the innocent bloggers and journalists. The blog also publishes letters from prison, photos, charge sheets, and more.

Our Mission

This blog contains the most current information about advocacy efforts, press coverage, and the legal status of the Zone9 bloggers in Ethiopia. It is dedicated to report on the trial of innocent bloggers and journalists. We believe in the power of accurate and factual reporting of the bloggers situation from the ground. An advocacy informed by fact make the difference. We believe the entrenched culture of impunity will only be conquered when we have a culture of documenting the human right violation. We strongly believe that the Zone9ers’ case will only highlight a minute part of a deep rooted and gross human rights violation in Ethiopia.